Beowulf

Beowulf Have you ever wanted to be a super-hero? Do you even know what it takes to become a great hero? Webster's dictionary defines an epic hero as a larger-than-life figure from a legend or history, that participates in a cynical journey or quest, faces adversaries and tries to defeat them. In Beowulf we find that a hero must possess some key characteristics. Two characteristics need to be an epic hero are pure strength with will power and bravery. Beowulf's actions prove he possesses the pure strength, will-power, and bravery of a hero. Throughout the entire story, Beowulf faces many trials and tribulations. In each battle he faces, Beowulf uses one key characteristic that an epic hero needs to conquer his defeater: pure strength and will power. Beowulf's first test of strength occurs when he fights Grendel. During the fight, Beowulf defeats the monster when Grendel is "twisted in pain, /and the bleeding sinews deep in his shoulder /Snapped, muscle and bone split and broke"(ll. 105-108). His fierceness and superhuman strength help Beowulf defeat the monster. Another example of his strength is when he fights Grendel's Mother in the deep depths of the lake. Beowulf uses his pure strength to swim to the deep bottom of the lake to reach his next victim. At his weakest point in fighting Grendel's mother, he finds out that "If weapons were useless he'd use /His hands, the strength in his fingers"(ll. 218-219). However, Beowulf finds strength from within and "raised /His arms and seized her by the shoulder; anger /Doubled his strength, and he threw her to the floor"(ll. 221-223). Beowulf then proceeds with his slaying of Grendel's mother by picking up a sword that was "so massive that no ordinary man could lift"(ll. 245). He then "broke the chain on its hilt" and "lifted it high over his head /And struck with all the strength he had left"(ll. 246-250). The final characteristic needed in an epic hero is bravery. Beowulf exemplifies this trait in...

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...BeowulfBeowulf was written by a Anglo-Saxon Scop, or storyteller, and tells a story
about a hero, Beowulf, who comes to help the Danes fight the dreaded Grendal. Beowulf
is a classic epic hero and is honored by being passed down in the story. Beowulf
embodies the ideals of conduct in the Anglo-Saxon culture by being loyal, seeks fame
and glory, and performs brave deeds.
Beowulf is loyal to the Geats (which is his people), the Danes (Hrothgar's men),
and Anglo-Saxon society. Beowulf is loyal to the Geats by accepting this tremendous
task of helping the Danes and does not question his king. He is loyal to the Danes by
being respectful to his people and treating Hrothgar with the honor that he is due. He
does not act differently because he is not his king. Beowulf is also loyal to the Anglo-
Saxon society by staying true to the definition of a hero of that time. He is a textbook
hero in Anglo-Saxon times.
Beowulf seeks fame and glory throughout the whole poem. That is a characteristic
of an Anglo-Saxon hero. Beowulf first finds fame when he kills Grendal and hangs
Grendal's arm in the mead hall< or meeting hall. He further seeks fame when he avows
to " cleanse the land of all evil". Beowulf is not just saying Grendal but all the troubles in
the land....

...Hrothgar and King Beowulf
Summary: The ideal king in the Anglo-Saxon culture first gains power and wealth through successful wars, and then gains loyalty through friendships and generous gift giving. King Sheafson described in the first part of Beowulf exhibited courage, greatness, power and wealth - all attributes important to the popularity of kings.The ideal king in the Anglo-Saxon culture first gains power and wealth through successful wars, and then gains loyalty through friendships and generous gift giving. King Sheafson described in the first part of Beowulf exhibited courage, greatness, power and wealth - all attributes important to the popularity of kings. He was a, "a wrecker of mead-benches." (1.5). Then, realized that loyalty is best attained through fairness and friendship (1.24-25). King Sheafson first proves himself through success at war and after gains popularity &amp; loyalty through friendship and gifts. King Hrothgar was not always a gentle lord. He may seem measly because he does not fight the monster. Look closely when Hrothgar says, "I was then in the first flush of kinship, establishing my sway over the rich strongholds of this heroic land (3.465-66)." King Hrothgar first by conquered in war, resulting in the acquirement of money and goods. Then, as he aged, he became a "treasure giver" (4.607), giving "gifts to others" (6.950). He also developed loyalty through friendships, especially felt at the teary...

...his name is Beowulf!
There are minor and yet very major differences between the book and the movie. First lets start with the battle of Grendel. One difference that seem to ‘catch’ a lot of attention was that in the film Beowulf fought Grendel completely naked! In the book(poem) Beowulf boasted it would only be a fair fight, for both parties, if he only fought Grendel with no weapons and armor, which he did has he had said. Another difference is that in the film a character named Wiglaf, who does not appear till Beowulf becomes elderly, is in the battle against Grendel to help him. At this point in the storyline of the book ‘Beowulf’, Wiglaf does not yet exist to help Beowulf until he is king over the Geats and very old, which changes a lot of the actual events within the story. Lastly the ripping of Grendel’s arm, within the movie Beowulf uses a chain to assume control of his arm, eventually trapping Grendel’s arm in the door’s of Heorot, and ripping his arm off in the process. In the book the monster storms in Heorot begins his attack, while the demon makes his attack on Beowulf, it is caught off guard when Beowulf grips the demon with strength far greater than the demon has ever known. Beowulf eventually rips off the arm.
Eventually Beowulf is confronted by Grendel’s twisted, demented, crazed mother, which is...

...The Comitatus Bond
“So now, Beowulf, I adopt you in my heart as a dear son. Nourish and maintain this new connection, you noblest of men. . . (63)”. Beowulf is an epic poem about the adventures, journey and maturation of a young legendary warrior from adolescence to his adulthood as a noble king. He gained his great reputation from his brave deeds of slaying the monstrous Grendel, his avenging mother, and the fiery dragon while being an honorable and selfless hero and ruler. Beowulf also presents an ideal of loyalty to thane, the comitatus bond. The failure to live up to this ideal bond on the part of some thanes point up the extraordinary faithfulness of Beowulf.
The comitatus bond is a comradery between a master and his warriors. This relationship requires the warriors/thanes to defend their master to the death in exchange for share of wealth, protection and weapons. However, this comitatus code goes beyond the typical warrior-defending-master relationship but rather into a bond of love and friendship. The epic story of Beowulf started out with the portrayal of a failed brotherhood. Grendel was a descendant of Cain, the most notorious slayer of his own brother and of the comitatus bond. “Cain got no good from committing that murder because the Almighty . . . exacted a price . . . [and] made him [an] anathema . . . (9).” Grendel’s lineage and the idea of a person against his family were very...

...heroes in today’s culture. Long before any of these individuals walked the Earth, the story of a man exhibiting what a true hero of epic proportions really is. Beowulf, a poem in British literature from the eighth century, showcases the concept of real heroism. Beowulf, a Geat who provides the real qualities of a dominate hero, travels to Herot to protect the kingdom of King Hrothgar. Beowulf will find himself battling with monsters that represent evil, the devil, and depths of Hell. The people of the kingdom are, at first, nervous of having a man fight the monster, Grendel, but are soon proven that Beowulf is the only option. The hero will later encounter the monster’s mother and, fifty years later, a dominate dragon. Clearly, in Beowulf, we will see the true qualities of an epic hero. Beowulf will travel far distances to be glorified and viewed significantly by the entire world. He will also demonstrate Anglo-Saxon ethics in the deeds he performs using his superhuman strength and abilities. Beowulf proves to people across many lands that he is a strong and responsible leader as well as an example of true heroism.
As the poem begins, you immediately see how Beowulf is presented with an intense quest and is signified and glorified. The reader is told how a horrific monster, Grendel, is attacking Hrothgar’s kingdom. Beowulf hears of the incidents...

...Epic Hero of the Anglo-Saxon Era: Beowulf
There have been many heroes in the past, like Superman, Batman, even Spiderman; they all exemplify heroic qualities, all different but all powerful in helping out others. Heroes are seen as a respectable character that people put hope into when all might be lost, or even look up to when they need their own strength. From the Anglo-Saxon period, if a person fights for their people, even if it means death they are considered a hero.Beowulf, and Anglo-Saxon hero, comes to Hrothgar seeking to fight the ferocious demons with his mighty strength and courageous soul; through his honorable acts he’s gifted with fame and glory throughout his life, presenting his as an epic hero.
Through Beowulf’s epic he exemplified his muscular achievements by fighting vicious demons, even if those demons are in him. In the epic of Beowulf he gestures, “’They have seen my strength for themselves, / Have watched me rise from the darkness of war, / Dripping with my enemies’ blood. I drove/ Five great giants into chains, chased/ All of that race from the earth” (54). The quote showed how physically strong Beowulf was and how he was beyond human strength, because he can run off giants and has risen from a fight with his enemy’s blood. No average strong person can do that but Beowulf can, showing that he is heroic; he gives the village people hope that he will rid the evil demon away...

...In the classic epic Beowulf we follow the great hero from his time as a young boy to his final moments as King of the Geats. During this many traits of various characters are revealed to us, none however as in depth as what is revealed about the titular figure of Beowulf. This is done through a jumble of Pagan and Christian values that are being bounced between throughout the text. Many of his ‘softer’ virtues such as forgiveness, generosity and commitment, seem to stem primarily from the Christian values whereas his ‘harsher’ virtues such as bravery, resourcefulness, and determination seem to stem more from the Pagan/ Germanic values. This conflict stems directly from the era in which this epic was written. During a time when Christianity was still growing, people new to it were torn between this newfangled ideology and the old customs, a struggle that is persistent throughout Beowulf.
Shortly after our hero arrives he is brought before Hrothgar to explain his intentions. It is here that that the struggle between the two ideologies is apparent. Initially we are shown the Pagan notion of bravery and bravado. Beowulf says:
I have heard moreover that the monster scorns
in his reckless way to use weapons;
therefore, to heighten Hygelac’s
fame and gladden his heart, I hereby renounce
sword and shelter of the broad shield,
the heavy war board: hand to hand is how it will be, a life and death
fight with the...

...Beowulf
The poem begins with a feast that was held at the Herot Hall. Hrotghar was a good king and he wanted to celebrate with his people his reign by building a new hall. But such celebration did not only bring Hrotghar people to the feast, but also the attention of a horrible monster known as Grendel. It is a beast that lives in the darkness all his life and dislikes the light; as well as the people of the light. Grendel main focus was to eliminate them all. The night was around the corner to bring horror into the kingdom. It was the perfect time for Grendel to come and attack the creatures of the light while everyone was having a good time at the palace. As the morning arises, Hrothgar discover the bloodshed and mourn that his kingdom had. He was under attack and he needed it to find protection not only for him but also for his people.
Grendel was at war with the Danes and as time went by news got around. The Geats receive news of the massacres that Grendel has committed and Beowulf decides to help out. When Beowulf and his men arrive to Denmark he presents himself not with his name but with his father’s name. “We belong by birth to the Geat people and owe allegiance to Lord Hygelac. In his day, my father was famous man, a noble warrior-Lord named Ecgtheow. He outlasted many a long winter and went on his way. All over the world men wise in counsel continue to remember him.” Beowulf narrates how great his...